From: K Dumain
Activity_Date: 5/20/01
Remote Name: 205.188.200.17
Chad with his tandem passenger Winston, Leanne, Parajames, Jill, David, and myself trekked out to Plowshare again. Arrived at Plowshare Peak just after 11:00 with the east wind still blowing at 15 the temp. at 82 F. The valley floor was in the low nineties. The wind began to diminish shortly after so we hiked out to the 3rd launch.
Tim (Scratch) launched first but he was unable to sustain and landed. Shortly after he began to report on the oscillating wind conditions at the Hang LZ.
Skippy went next, stayed up for a bit, but sank out and made her usual low save over the valley and climbed out to above launch. This got the rest of the hangies off launch, followed by Chad with his copilot.
Jim, Jill, and Leanne followed shortly but none of them maintained. Down low over the foothills well west of launch, the PG's finally began to connect. By the time David and I could launch they were marking the convergance with Skippy about a mile to the west and above launch.
David and I left on light cycle and immediately began sinking while the others climbed on our left. Unable to commit to the left turn we followed the spines out till we caught some light thermals over some low knobs. These eventually joined into a stronger convergence with no drift and we were eventually on top well out in front. After working our way back to the main ridge we were now about 1500 over when Jill joined up.
The lift began to fade as the thermal as the 3rd launched thermal kicked in. Jill made the jump, I left one circle later only to find a sinking headwind (should have made a U turn here!). Everyone made a run for the valley at this point. The wings to the east found some more lift and climbed back up. Leanne worked it back towards Plowshare.
David, Jill, and myself quickly sank into the west wind on the valley floor. Chad and Jim were able to drift and glide down towards Spanish Ranch. Jim dirted in his usual spot, while Chad made another low save over his usual spot. Meanwhile Leanne was last seen scratching halfway down a steep spine (before the crossing to Timbers?) about 2 miles west of launch.
She would eventually land in the foothills abover the Spanish Ranch. She'll have to tell the details, but the landowner's did make it clear to me that she's not welcome on their ranch, and the "Next time she land's on our ranch, we'll have the Sheriff meet her at the road."
Chad of course climbed out to 12 grand and flew for about 4 hours, complained about the cold, etc.
So how was Pine Mountain on Sunday?
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